20 Reggae Classics: The Music That Inspired A Generation

• Artist: Various Artists
• Release Date: 1987
• Total Time: 57:39
• Type: Collection (various artists)
• Genre: Reggae

Review

This disc should be prescribed like medicine to everyone who thinks of "Red Red Wine" as a UB40 song. It leads off with Tony Tribe's rock steady version of that number (which was a cover itself -- "Red Red Wine" was actually written by Neil Diamond) along with 19 other ska, reggae and rock steady tunes that have been covered by more recent artists, often with significant commercial success. Did you know that the Specials' "Rudy a Message to You" was originally cut by Dandy Livingstone, or that Paul Young's "Love of the Common People" was an early reggae song by Nicky Thomas, whose version prominently featured a string section? Other tracks are more familiar in their original versions -- Desmond Dekker's "007 (Shanty Town)," the Melodians' "Rivers of Babylon," etc. Every song on this compilation is an essential piece of reggae history. (Trojan went on to release several more volumes in the 20 Reggae Classics series.) ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Red, Red Wine	Neil Diamond	Tony Tribe	(2:59)
Sweet Sensation (Lyrics)	Leslie Kong, Renford Cogle	The Melodians	(3:15)
Love of the Common People	John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins	Nicky Thomas	(2:28)
Johnny Too Bad (Lyrics)	Winston "Shadow" Bailey, Hylton Beckford, Derric Crooks	The Slickers	(3:05)
Pressure Drop (Lyrics)	Toots Hibbert	The Maytals	(2:56)
Liquidator	Harry Johnson	Harry Johnson	(2:56)
Skinhead Moonstomp	Alton Ellis	Symarip	(2:54)
Long Shot Kick de Bucket	Dawn Agard, Sydney Crooks, Jackie Robinson	The Pioneers	(2:47)
Please Don't Make Me Cry	Winston Tucker	Winston Groovy	(3:30)
Many Rivers to Cross (Lyrics)	Jimmy Cliff	Jimmy Cliff	(2:41)
007 (Shanty Town)	Leslie Kong, Desmond Dacres	Desmond Dekker, Aces, Desmond Dekker & the Aces	(2:32)
Rudy, a Message to You	Lee Thompson	Dandy Livingstone	(2:36)
Version Girl		Boy Friday	(3:04)
Cherry Oh Baby	Eric Donaldson	Eric Donaldson	(3:05)
Fatty Fatty	Clancy Eccles	Clancy Eccles	(2:43)
Keep on Movin'	Bob Marley	Bob Marley, The Wailers, Bob Marley & the Wailers	(3:09)
Time Hard	Sydney Crooks, Jackie Robinson, George Agard	The Pioneers	(2:33)
Monkey Man (Lyrics)	Toots Hibbert	The Maytals	(3:36)
Rivers of Babylon (Lyrics)	Brenton Dowe, Trevor McNaughton	The Melodians	(3:27)
Train to Skaville	Leonard Dillon	The Ethiopians	(2:44)

Credits

Desmond Dekker (Performer), The Ethiopians (Performer), Clancy Eccles (Performer), Eric Donaldson (Performer), Jimmy Cliff (Performer), Dandy Livingstone (Performer), The Maytals (Performer), Nicky Thomas (Performer), Bob Marley (Performer), The Slickers (Performer), Winston Groovy (Performer), Tony Tribe (Performer), The Melodians (Performer), Symarip (Performer), Boy Friday (Performer)